Memorable Memorial Day

We had a fun-filled weekend! We went to a Redbirds game Sunday night. This is the first time since Caroline was a baby that we've been. She had the best time. She loved the music, the clapping, the wave, the people, the ballgame, the food... Her enjoyment made it that much more special for us. The game was long - 3 extra innings and we still lost by 1 run. The fireworks didn't start until almost 11pm - thank goodness for a good afternoon nap! The fireworks were the one thing about the game that she didn't really enjoy. But she still talked about them all the way home.

Here's a video of Caroline dancing to "Sweet Caroline". She danced and clapped anytime there was music. She had the best time.


Monday we went out to our friends' parents' house for a cookout. They live out in the country. It was great to get out of the city and enjoy some fellowship with friends. The favorite activity for the little girls was the swimming pool! The big boys got to shoot some skeet. So everyone got to relax a little bit.

Hope your weekend was just as good!

Two-year pictures

We had sweet Caroline's pictures taken last week. She wasn't really in the mood, but we forged ahead anyway. We actually wound up with a selection of photos that was much better than we had anticipated. I included one of the teary pictures just for fun.

Both of her outfits were made by me. The swing top is a dress from last year, but too short this year for her. So I made some shorts to go with it. The smocked dress is new - green and white micro-stripe with pink baby rick-rack on the sleeves and pink smocking. I'm so pleased with this dress. I got the inspiration from a dress in a children's clothing store. It had an $80 price tag. I didn't spend nearly that much!

Two, going on sixteen

The zoo again

This time we took Daddy with us! Thank goodness for our annual zoo membership!

Waiting for the sea lion show

Watching the sea lions

The polar bears were playing. It was so fun! They were chasing each other all over their habitat and then would jump in the water, making huge splashes.


Oh - and Caroline decided to give her pacies (pacifiers) to the baby giraffe at the zoo. We talked for days about how she's a big girl now and doesn't need them, that babies use pacies. And she agreed with all that. Kevin helped her write a very sweet letter to the baby animals at the zoo and then we delivered them in a little plastic baggie to the giraffes. Sleeping has been a little bit harder for her, but I'm confident that in a few more days all this will be behind us.

Happy birthday, Daddy!

It was a big birthday - 30! We had a great celebration. Happy birthday, Kevin/Daddy! We love you and praise God for your life.

Adorable

My heart is so full of admiration and love for this amazing little girl.

...My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.
-Psalm 28:7

First haircut

Our big girl got her first haircut today! She was so good. I talked it up yesterday: "We're going to Rebecca's tomorrow to get your hair cut. Will you sit in her chair like a big girl? Your hair will be so pretty!" (And the promise of a treat if she was a good girl helped, too.) The last thing she said to me last night before bed was, "Go Becca's. Becca cut my hair. Sit in chair like big girl." So I knew we would have a good time this morning. She did sit like a big girl and was so proud to show her haircut to her daddy. Caroline's first haircut was really fun for both of us! I forgot to select save on my cell phone and lost a cute picture of Caroline and Rebecca. Argh!

An al fresco recipe

Here's a perfect recipe for you to enjoy on your back patio. It's so easy and I guarantee it will be delicious every time (even if you don't like bourbon!). It's one of my Papa's favorite grill marinades.

Bourbon flank steak

1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c bourbon (Maker's Mark, Jim Beam, whiskey will do in a pinch)
1 flank steak

Mix brown sugar, soy sauce, and bourbon well. Put steak in a marinating-worthy vessel (sometimes I use a large ziplock bag). Pour over flank steak. Refrigerate and marinade at least 2 hours, turning meat once or twice. Grill steak to desired doneness. (We love ours medium rare. So that's about 8 minutes on each side, depending on how hot your grill is.) Let steak rest for a few minutes. Slice very thin and enjoy.

It will make your tummy so happy...

Al fresco

We love eating lunch on the back patio!

Visit with the Dales

We were so excited to spend Monday with my dad's brother and parents! They drove all the way from Oklahoma to visit. We had a wonderful time!

Zoo day

Last week the weather was so nice. We had to go to the zoo!

Thank you, Crayola

Crayola has so many neat products for kids these days. The Color Wonder things are fantastic for toddlers. Last week I picked up some Crayola paints for Caroline. I thought about getting the fingerpaints. But my little princess is a bit skittish about getting her hands dirty. (Wonder who she gets that from?) So I decided to pick up the washable paints instead, which will work fine for fingerpainting or stamping. At one point I looked up and noticed that she had gotten a little dramatic with the paintbrush and there was paint on the wall. Eeek! But I got a moist rag and it came off immediately. And it didn't stain her clothes, either. Impressive. These get a 5-star rating in my book!

Bird watchers

Now Caroline can watch birds with Daddy using her new binoculars (or "knockers", as Caroline says)!

Put a smile on your face

Not too terribly much going on around here lately. We're waiting on the sunshine to come back!

We love this video - particularly the forced, "Everybody happy!" She's becoming quite the little comedienne. I have to make a point to write down some of the things she says because I know 10 years from now I'll never remember.

Easter

Here are some pictures from our Easter celebrations. I had the pleasure of making the kids some very pretty Easter frocks. I had so much fun. Ian was sick on Easter morning, so I didn't get to see him in his outfit. Hopefully, he won't grow too much and he can wear it next time I visit! We had a great holiday weekend and hope you did, too.

Happy Easter

We've been practicing our egg-hunting skills!

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

-John 11:25-27

Spring is finally here

Caroline meets some puppies

No, we're not getting a new family member. But I sure was tempted! Isn't he adorable?

Weekend videos

Yes, it snowed here in Memphis - and quite a bit! We had about 4 inches by late Friday evening. That's a ton of snow for us. It's all gone now... Caroline thought it was pretty neat - as long as she didn't have to touch it or taste it. She got cold and cranky not too long after this video, so we didn't really play in it all that much.


And this is my new favorite video. When we got home from dinner Saturday night, Caroline started singing to herself and I caught part of it. It's really the first time she's sung by herself - with notes and words!

Caroline is 2!

Dear God,
Thank you for the good work you have begun in Caroline Suzanne. Please carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 1:6

We had a big birthday bash for Caroline Saturday morning. It was so much fun. I was so happy that so many of our friends came to celebrate our little girl's life with us.

I decided we would do an arty-themed birthday party. I follow an art with toddlers blog and got a great idea to do crayon transfer tee-shirts. I found fabric crayons and tee-shirts at Michael's. It was so much fun. The kids got the biggest kick out of seeing their own artwork on a tee-shirt. OK - so the other mommies and I got a big kick out of it, too!

I kept the menu easy - BBQ, chips, slaw, a colorful fruit salad, and cupcakes. The cupcakes were topped with M&Ms, sprinkles, or gel icing. I love making cupcakes.

If we had known that there would be 4 inches of snow on the ground the morning of Caroline's birthday, we would have arranged for our guests to come dressed for a snowman-making contest!